The warmth grew to heat. The tingles became charges. Outside on the deck, Bomber suddenly lunged at the screen and began to bark. His entire body faced the women, ears forward, his teeth showing, his barking extremely aggressive. Hannah and Joley both jumped back, breaking the linked circle.
Kate's face paled and she pulled her hand away quickly as though burned. She swayed and Elle caught her around the waist, helping her to sit on the floor. Immediately Libby reached for her.
Kate scrambled backward, avoiding Libby's touch. "Wait, Libby. Just wait one moment."
"What the hell's going on in here?" Jackson demanded, yanking open the screen. Bomber bounded in, rushing over to Elle. "Dismiss," he snapped to Bomber and the dog ceased barking.
Elle paled. "Did something slip through, Kate? Didn't I protect you?"
Kate wrapped her fingers around Elle's slender wrist. "You protected me just fine. I didn't feel anything of what you went through. The barricade you and Jackson have together is astonishing." She dropped her head between her knees, drawing in great breaths to keep from fainting.
"Kate?" Sarah asked.
Hannah floated a plate of sugar cookies into the room, caught the plate and stood by anxiously as Joley maneuvered a teacup.
Kate looked up, her face very white. "I heard him."
"Jackson?" Sarah asked.
Kate shook her head. "Him. Gratsos. He was reaching for her, but he can't get past Jackson's barrier. He was so angry. Enraged. And he battered at it. I felt him." She paused. "And then he felt me."
Elle gasped. "Is he in your head? Tell the truth, Kate. Abbey. Make her tell the truth." She was totally panic stricken. Her heart beat so hard she actually pressed her hand against her chest.
"I pulled out the moment he felt me. I don't think he can find me again, but he has to know we're related. If he doesn't have your real name and address, he has another clue. I wasn't trying to hide or protect myself because it didn't occur to me that he might 'see' me or feel me as I worked at healing you." She took a sugar cookie and bit down into it. Joley thrust the teacup into her hands as she shivered. "He's a scary man."
Elle sank down onto the floor. First Hannah. Then Abigail. And now Stavros had frightened Kate. Sweet, serene Kate. It seemed almost blasphemy. Was there no one safe from the man? And Dane. She didn't even know if Dane's family knew he was dead, or if he'd just disappeared as she had.
She pressed her fingers to her eyes, fighting the burning tears. A part of her wanted to get on a plane and confront Stavros. Walk into a room and fight him--psychic power to psychic power--but she wasn't nearly well enough. He was going to find her--he had found her and he was systematically attacking every one she loved. Who would be next? Whose death would she be responsible for next? Hannah could so easily have died, taking her unborn child with her, and Abigail still had the bruises and stitches. Why? Because all of her sisters were conserving energy to heal her. They had nothing left for themselves.
She was destroying her family by staying. She closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around herself and tried to face what it would be like to put herself in Stavros's hands once again. A shudder went through her body. Every touch, every act he'd forced on her was so vile to her, such a violation of everything she was and what she stood for, and now, after being with Jackson and knowing love--the touch of love--she couldn't face it. She'd never be able to go through with it. A single sound escaped, one of complete despair.
"Baby, come here." Jackson crouched down beside her, his movements slow and gentle.
Almost immediately everyone went quiet and Elle's sisters moved back to give him room. It was evident in that moment that Elle, their strong, fierce sister, the one they'd all come to know as a protector and fighter, was fragile and in need of someone to lean on.
Elle rocked back and forth, barely aware of the others in the room. Jackson didn't touch her, simply stayed inches from her, his body heat warming her. Elle. Look at me. You're retreating and wherever you go, you know I'm just going to be following you. Look at me, honey. We're here, in our home, and you're surrounded by everyone who loves you.
Her eyes flickered. He could feel her, small and light and rolled into the fetal position, tucked into a corner of her mind.
That's it, baby. I'm right here. Right beside you. Look at me. See me.
The sound of his voice--soft, compelling, strong--penetrated the wall she'd erected to try to protect herself from a threat she couldn't face. Elle forced herself outside her mind and back into her body where she could open her eyes and look at his face. A strong face. Beloved in every way. Every line. Every scar. She knew his face as if it were her own. She could trace the bone structure, the firm jaw, his sensual lips and straight nose with the little crook in it.
Jackson's eyes were so dark, so compelling, and once she looked into them she couldn't look away. She felt safe there, held there, not captured, but sheltered. Tears blurred her vision and she blinked rapidly so she wouldn't lose sight of him.
Jackson, all too aware of their audience, gathered her into his arms, pulling her against his chest, his arms wrapping her up so no one could see her face. He knew Elle's family loved her, but she would be so embarrassed to be seen in a moment of weakness. Pride was a big thing to Elle and, where he'd already been through the first stages of trauma and knew what to expect, she had no idea that these moments would come at the most unexpected times.
Elle burrowed close to him, her face tight against the hollow of his shoulder. He stood, taking her with him, sitting in a chair with her on his lap, his arms effectively sheltering her from everyone.
"Katie," he asked softly, "are you all right?"
She nodded. "He didn't get inside my head. I pulled away as soon as I felt him. I think we both recognized we weren't alone at the same time."
"Thank you for working on Elle. I can feel a difference already inside her brain, with just the one healing. When you worked with her, could you get an idea of the damage?" Jackson really wanted an answer, but even more, he wanted to divert attention away from Elle until she could recover enough to face everyone.
As soon as he asked the questions Libby leaned in, anxious to hear the answer. Kate took a thoughtful sip of tea, taking her time, assessing the situation before she spoke. As always she brought a sense of calm, of peace to the room. She looked up serenely and smiled at Matt as he settled beside her, slipping her hand into his. She looked pale, but very much Kate, elegant even in her white blouse and faded, soft jeans. She wore no makeup and no one would ever guess that she wrote bestselling murder mysteries sold worldwide.
"I'm not going to try to minimize the damage to her, especially as I know we need Elle at full strength. The lesions are deep. She needs rest and she needs to relax and not use any part of her talent. I healed the first layer, but there are several. I'll work on her again tomorrow." Before Matt could voice a protest she tightened her fingers and looked at him, eyes pleading for understanding. "I'll be more careful next time."
"I thought we could send a little message next time," Jackson said. "Although I don't know if it's possible. He's obviously trying to harass Elle. Abbey, you can work with animals, can't you?"
She frowned, puzzled, but she nodded her head. "Fairly easily as a rule."
He indicated the dog. "What about Bomber?"
Abigail held out her hand to the German Shepherd and let him come to her, sniffing her open palm. The dog looked up at her with adoring eyes and wagged his tail. She stared into his eyes for a few moments and Bomber instantly lay down at her feet, still looking up at her eagerly.
"He's very responsive. He actually has a psychic energy all his own."
"He alerts to Gratsos's psychic presence," Jackson explained. "His ears go forward, his hair goes up, he stands and points, and gives his intruder bark. He knows before any of us when Gratsos sends his energy toward us."
"You think we can use his energy to attack Gratsos when he intrudes on Elle," Abigail mused, her expression thoughtful. S
he glanced at Sarah.
Jackson noted all the women were looking to Sarah. Even Elle stirred and sat up a little, turning her head, looking toward Sarah as if for the final verdict.
Tyson leaned forward, his gaze on Damon. "It's all about energy waves, right? It would work. Be kind of funny, have the son of a bitch touch Elle's mind and get a protection dog in his face, all teeth and roar." The grin faded. "But is it worth it? Is he going to just shrug it off and ask if that's all we've got?"
Sarah shook her head. "Gratsos was able to give Elle the sensation of choking her. She feels his fingers closing around her throat."
"Ilya can do things like that," Joley admitted, turning to smile up at her fiance. "Only much nicer things, of course."
"So can the dog attack him?" Jackson asked.
"I think it could be done," Sarah said. "Abbey could connect Bomber with Gratsos through Elle and give the attack command. I don't know how much damage he'd do, or how long we could sustain the attack, or even if it's worth the effort, but I'm betting it could be done."
"And if he asks himself if that's all we have, more to the good," Damon said. "Let him think we don't have much."
Sarah glanced at him sharply, but Tyson stood up and looked at his watch. "I'm pulling a shift tonight at the fire station. One of the men is sick and they want a couple of us there. We've been losing divers lately. The sea's been so unpredictable and they keep coming up from Southern Cal, thinking they know more than the locals." He bent to brush a kiss over Libby's mouth. "Don't do anything without me."
"We're heading out tomorrow morning to get our marriage license," Jackson said. "We'll try another healing session in the evening. If we're going to let Bomber loose on Gratsos, that's the most likely time we'll try. You'll be back by then."
Libby blew him kisses and then stretched out her hands to Elle. "Before we leave, we're going to do another quick healing session for your body. All of us are participating and we aren't using much energy, so don't panic. And I've got plenty to help Kate." She glanced toward her sister who hadn't attempted to move from Matt's arms.
When Elle still hesitated, Sarah leaned forward. "Listen to me, Elle," she said, using her big sister, this-is-a-lecture voice. "When we're together, we're very strong, strong enough to stop him. You have to have faith in us. You're so busy trying to protect us that you've forgotten what it's like to be part of our circle. He's attacking and he's getting closer. We're all in danger now, whether you like it or not. We need you at full strength. So it's time to heal you. Do you understand me, Elle? It's time."
Elle looked at her sister for a long time and then nodded. She would welcome whatever they did for her as long as they maintained their distance. She could tell Libby was healing her from the inside out. The whip lashes were still fresh, but no longer hurt or felt raw. With this session the wounds would fade. She was looking forward to looking at herself in a mirror without wincing at the sight.
Elle's sisters lined up behind Elle, this time without Kate, and lifted their hands into the air, the soft melodic chant rising as the warm energy surrounded her.
17
ELLE kept her hand firmly in Jackson's, her fingers tangled with his tightly as they walked into Inez's grocery store with the marriage license in Jackson's pocket. They'd had to go inland to the courthouse, an hour and a half drive, in order to do the paperwork. But it was done and they wanted to drop by and consult with Inez. Bomber walked close to Jackson on his leash, prancing a bit, showing off.
It had taken most of the morning to complete the roundtrip and the sun was peeking through a small cloud layer as they walked along the wooden sidewalk toward the grocery store. Several people stepped from their shops to greet Elle and wish her well, all with wide grins, saluting Jackson as if he had stolen the prize.
"We're creating quite a stir," she observed, a little nervous with all the attention. Having Bomber helped, because often people started out talking to her, asking her questions about her disappearance, but Bomber distracted them quickly.
She waved as Irene Madison and her son, Drew, came out of the bookstore, Drew with a pile of books in his arms. Irene looked glowing, although when she first saw Elle, she stumbled a little. The last time she'd seen Irene, the woman had been bashing Libby over the head with her purse, demanding she cure Drew of leukemia. She had blamed Libby for the boy taking a risky prescription drug that had nearly driven him to suicide. Elle hadn't been very forgiving as she rushed to her sister's aid, and if it hadn't been for Jackson, she could have done the woman real harm. Still, Elle had a difficult time feeling remorse when Irene had hurt Libby.
Irene flashed a tentative smile. She looked a little leery of the German Shepherd, and Elle was secretly glad. Bomber might have picked up on her dislike of the woman, because he didn't act friendly; rather he positioned his body at a slight angle, as if protecting Elle, or intimidating Irene. Elle clung tighter to Jackson's hand, and forced a smile. "Irene, how nice to see you. Drew looks well."
"I am, Elle," Drew announced before his mother could speak. "I'm playing basketball this year." He grinned at her. "Of course I ride the bench a lot, but I made the team." His grin widened. "It helps that the school is so small we hardly have enough players to field a team, but still, I'm there."
"It's been fun going to all the games," Irene admitted. "Drew's been in remission for months now."
"That's wonderful," Jackson said.
"It's thanks to Libby and Tyson," Irene conceded. "They've helped me work with Drew and he's in a new study with a drug Ty developed."
Elle swallowed hard and nodded her head. It was the best she could do. She would never forget that moment when she felt the wrench, Libby going down, sick, disoriented, broken. They'd nearly lost her, and, although it wasn't entirely this woman's fault, she'd actually struck Libby when her sister had been defenseless. The wind came in from the sea--a soft breeze ruffling her hair and carrying the soothing touch of her sister Hannah.
Elle turned toward the Drake home and blew a kiss back toward the captain's walk, her hands going up to shift the wind back toward her sister. She noticed the dog looked back toward her family home as well and she dropped her hand on his head to stroke a grateful caress over his fur. He was definitely making her first real public appearance easier.
Jackson cleared his throat. "They're always doing that sort of thing back and forth," he explained.
Drew laughed. "Everyone knows that. We all like it the most when Hannah blows Jonas's hat off his head."
"Is she still doing that?" Irene asked.
"Oh yeah. He was chasing a couple of us when he saw us skim boarding at Big River and she slowed him down with the wind in order to give us a chance to get away," Drew happily told them, missing Elle's quick shake of the head, and forgetting his mother was standing right there. "Man, it was so funny. He started yelling at the wind and every time he went to pick his hat up, the wind caught it and blew it just out of reach. It kept going closer and closer to the water and he kept yelling, 'Hannah, don't you dare,' but eventually we got out of there so I don't know if she actually put it in the waves."
"She does like to do that," Elle said, hoping to divert the attention back to her. "It's good practice and keeps Hannah's skills sharp. She's very precise at it, you know."
Irene's hands were on her hips, a frown on her face. "Just when were you skim boarding at Big River, Drew?"
He turned bright red and began to stammer.
"Did you cut school?" Irene demanded.
Jackson took Elle by the arm. I'm guessing now's a good time to get out of here before she realizes Hannah helped the boys get out of trouble. Jonas would most likely have taken them to their parents.
"We'll see you later, Irene, Drew," Jackson said. "I hope you're both coming to the celebration."
Irene beamed at them, diverted for a moment. "Your wedding. Of course. We wouldn't miss it for the world. And, Jackson . . ."
He cringed, the tips of his ears going red. The hand
on her back was urging Elle to move forward, but she turned back deliberately, forcing Jackson to wait politely.
"Thank you so much for helping us get Drew to that camp in Tahoe for AE week. We never could have managed it and he really enjoyed it."
"It was so cool, Jackson," Drew agreed. "I got to skate-board and swing on a trapeze and go sailing." His entire face lit up. "I even drove a race car, you know one of those little all-terrain ones. I've never done any of those things before."
Jackson cleared his throat, avoiding Elle's gaze. "I got your thank-you card, Drew. That was enough. I'm glad you had a good time." His voice was gruff and now his entire ears were red. Jackson pushed Elle ahead of him, hoping to make it to the safety of the grocery store before anyone else stopped them.
The day was a little overcast, with floating clouds, but it was bright out, the sun shining off the water, making it necessary to wear sunglasses. He shoved them on his face.
"This is worse than walking with a fu--a . . . er . . . a celebrity," Jackson hissed between clenched teeth. "No wonder Joley is marrying Ilya. She needs a full-time bodyguard to get her one block down the street."
"You wanted to walk." There was a hint of laughter in her voice. Now that Jackson was uncomfortable, the walk might turn out fun after all. Bomber must have agreed with her, because he looked up at her with a wide, toothy grin, his eyes laughing as well. "You didn't tell me you helped Drew go to a camp for Alternate Education week."
He shrugged. "The kid's never been able to do anything, he's always been so sick. And the other kids come back talking up a storm about all the places they've gone and the experiences they've had and I just thought it might be good for him."
"I'm sure it was."
"He's stuck with his mom all the time and she fusses over him until the kid wants to explode. He loves her, but he's a teenager, he needs a little freedom."
Jackson sounded a little defensive. Elle looked up at him. "What else have you done?"
"Nothing. There's just this program I've been working on getting him into for the summer. It's kind of like a foreign exchange thing. He'll tour four countries and see a bit of the world. He needs that, Elle."